your honest opinion, this is a 4 foot wakesurf comes with traction and a fin for $174. The only catch is it's wood. I look at the $174 price tag and think how could an average rider not opt for that over a $400 foam skimmer.

I don't know that it's any heavier than some of the high end wakesurfs. I think for normal folks wood is fine, it's got to be designed as an entry level board. $174 is definately price point.

I know that over at the Tige website the manufacturer folks were always saying NO WOOD in our boats all composite - the buying public tends to think wood + water = rot. At $174 couldn't you replace it three times before hitting the cost of a $400 d-cell based board that you can't ride any better, anyway?

As a price point, entry level skimmer or if I just wanted a second board this would seem to be to be a great option, IF I was price conscious. So that really begs the question in my mind.

Could you build your own for $80?

Traction at $40 or even cheaper; a can of hula dek at $20, a fin at $10, a can of paint at $5 maybe some sealer at $10 and then the wood at $15? That sure seems doable to me. Total cost of $60 to $80. Sure beats the heck out of a $700 board if you're just casual about it.

I should send Tommy an email and have him get Eric to make one. Realistically, it's just a matter of getting the fins in. If they did the wakeboard fins, maybe you add $5 to the retail. It would be a cheap price point board, dtw.

I love wood. Heck, I've even got a Sanger. But I bought a Phase 5 board a couple years ago because it was really light. When it hits the kids they go back riding. When it hits me I go back to trying to ride. And the 10 year old puts it away. So that's how a below average rider opted not to get one from TrickBoardz when I ordered my FAE early in '07.

Of course, I still need a much bigger board for me to succeed and maybe the wife will let me spend a couple hundred on a big wood board where I'm having a hard time convincing her that we need a Blue Lake.